(Excerpts
from summary prepared under contract for the ReGenesis Medical
Center/ Dec 2000)

*
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Introduction

Cholesterol
is a vital component of the blood and body organs, and is present
in every body cell. About 17% by weight of the human brain is
cholesterol. There are many misconceptions about the function
of cholesterol in the body and, in particular, the significance
of a high cholesterol concentration in the blood. High blood
cholesterol and hypertension arise from the same ultimate condition:
an excess flux of free radicals in the body.

Significance
of Cholesterol in the Human Body

Cholesterol has many
functions and is of great significance in the human body. However,
its most important purpose is the absorbion of excess oxidising
free radicals. Only a small proportion of the cholesterol in
the body arises from diet; most is synthesised in the liver.
Cholesterol is produced in sufficient quantity to meet the body's
needs at any given time. The concentration of cholesterol in
the blood increases with the degree of oxidation arising from
the flux of free radicals. That in turn is brought about largely
by the catalytic effect on free radical generation resulting
from the presence of certain heavy metals in the body.

This free radical generation increases as the loading of the
various heavy metals in the body increases. Thus, as people age
and accumulate heavy metals in their bodies, the generation of
cholesterol necessarily increases to counteract the damaging
effects of the additional flux of the free radicals. Furthermore,
some of this cholesterol, acting as an antioxidant, is converted
to oxycholesterol by the oxidising action of free radicals.

Significance
of High Cholesterol Measurements

It is important to
realise that analysis of blood for cholesterol does not measure
solely cholesterol, but rather the aggregate of cholesterol and
oxycholesterol. Therefore, this analytical figure always over-states
the actual cholesterol concentration.

There is an additional
factor which can increase blood cholesterol level. Much of the
cholesterol in the body is transported (as either cholesterol
or esters of cholesterol) by complex compounds containing unsaturated
fats (lipids). Unsaturated carbon chains are particularly prone
to lysis (break up) at the double bonds, resulting in the formation
of oxidised end products (aldehydes) and the destruction of the
lipid/cholesterol complex. This destruction releases free cholesterol
into the bloodstream, thereby increasing the blood cholesterol
concentration.

Relationship
of High Blood Cholesterol to Cardio-Vascular Disease

Epidemiological studies
have found that patients exhibiting a high cholesterol level
in their blood (in fact, cholesterol plus oxycholesterol) are
prone to serious cardio-vascular disease.

Frequently the high
cholesterol level itself is blamed for the cardiovascular condition;
whereas in fact this level is an indicator of the presence in
the body of the chemical state (free radical activity) which
causes such diseases as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure,
coronary artery obstruction, etc.

Not surprisingly,
this misconception about the significance of a high cholesterol
level in the blood has led to the development of drugs designed
solely to reduce blood cholesterol level; whereas in fact the
culprit is not cholesterol but rather free radicals which damage
the arterial system.

It cannot be denied,
of course, that drug-induced reduction of blood cholesterol has
benefited patients at risk of coronary heart disease. But despite
the plethora of such drugs now available and the fact that some
of these (at least) achieve a lowering of cholesterol, the overall
impact of such drug therapy on the incidence of coronary heart
disease has not been convincing.

Conventional
Treatment for High blood Cholesterol

High blood cholesterol
and hypertension frequently occur in conjunction, and multi-drug
therapy is often prescribed to deal with these parallel conditions.
The flux of free radicals can be neutralised by means of antioxidant
drugs, but these have only a temporary effect.

Alternative
treatment of High Blood Cholesterol

A high cholesterol
level in the blood is an almost certain indicator of the need
to eliminate heavy metals from the body. Therefore, the most
effective means to treat high blood cholesterol is to treat the
cause rather than the symptoms. Free radicals can be eliminated
with intravenous EDTA chelation therapy and certain vitamins.

By reducing heavy
metal concentration and the consequent reduced free radical activity,
the body requires less cholesterol (and other anti-oxidants)
to maintain health; the blood cholesterol level falls; and less
oxycholesterol is generated. Therefore with chelation therapy,
the total blood cholesterol level is steadily reduced by natural
means. An additional benefit is the reduction of hypertension.

Reference
on High Blood Cholesterol

There is extensive
literature on cholesterol and the biochemistry involved is extensive.
For a modern comprehensive explanation, reference is made to
Halstead and Rozema, "The Scientific Basis of EDTA Chelation"
Therapy (2nd ed, 1997) (358 references).